I feel like I am constantly trying to solve sticky--I am not going there voluntarily

With every large festive family meal comes the inevitable end.  Some escape quickly...typical Irish exit.  One minute they are there, the next minute, they are gone.  These are single people, childless that had to endure those craptastic questions of "any suitors or potential boyfriends?"  While it was a painful during the dinner process, they now get to leave scott free.  And then there are people like Ching and me that are saddled with the girls and their crap.  And easy exit is never feasible...it is usually a long drawn out process that I give at least 30 to 40 minutes.

I am using the recent Easter dinner as my example.  As Ching finishes up his meal of ham, scalloped potatoes and asparagus (he didn't take any salad), he does two things.  First he starts sniffing around for dessert, then he drops feelers of when I would like to leave.  Since it is my family, I guess I make the call of when to leave but also that I need to start coordinating this departure.

First every one's stuff  needs to be gathered and packed.  I am famous (in the family) for always forgetting something important.  I have made several calls as soon as we got to our house a state away, pleading with my mom to overnight sneakers, extra sets of keys, wallets, etc.  I have truly tried to do a better job to keeping our shit together.  Usually before other guests even arrive, I try to get dirty clothes and toiletries together.  But I still will sweep each room for random items that I don't want to call my mom for later.  I do the sweep for everyone...the girls, myself and Ching. (Yeah, I know.)

I, then, have to prep the girls that we are going to leave soon.  They don't like that and I wonder why I have to be the bearer of bad news?  I don't listen to their whines, I just move to the next task.

Ching starts to load up the car but not before telling me how good Michigan is playing against Florida.  How does he know this game is even on?  Jesus Christ, is this what he was doing while I was doing the sweep for his razor and antacids?

And now the kids have to be separated--Laurel and Maddie are better at this.  Since they are both 7 and on the brink of coolness, they hug and give the casual good bye without drama.  Rachel is not that easy.  She doesn't want to leave her buddy, cousin Cason.  He is four  and Rachel follows him around like he has a little female shadow.  They really don't want to stop playing.  After a few precious moments of "oh, that's nice", I have had enough.  We need to go and I start bribing with snacks and drinks.

And then all the adults say good bye--some want hugs.  My sister Jess just yells "bye" in my direction knowing full well that I don't like being touched.  But there are others I do hug..my mom, Victor, my (crazy) Aunt Brendi who tries one last attempt to get me to eat one of her chocolates made from all natural ingredients that she brought back from her latest yoga retreat in Nicaragua.  I decline...the last one coated my tongue like whiskers.  (No--I am not being mean.  This is just one of many quirky things.  My favorite suggestion from her this past Sunday was being told that an excellent face masque is to use raw honey and then fresh aloe right from the plant.  The masque needs to sit for 20 minutes.  If I had an extra 20 minutes, I certainly wouldn't make my face all sticky. I feel like I am constantly trying to solve sticky--I am not going there voluntarily.)

We are lined up to the door..Ching, Laurel, Rachel and then me...I am still scanning for stuff.  Ching, then turns, and says this with this eyes:
CCW:  Hey, did we get any leftovers?
JCW:   You don't need any.  Keep moving...

We are practically out the door when Laurel starts quizzing me on everything of hers that I needed to make sure was in the bag.  Laurel do want to stay at Nana's?

We pull away from the house.  I look for my mom in the window and wave.  I tell Ching to beep the horn--that's what we did when I grew up.  Rachel falls asleep in about 90 seconds.  Laurel dozes every now and then.  But it's not an easy ride.  Mom served cheesecake for dessert and you know that Mr Ching Wang has a touch of lactose intolerance.